Identity theft is a growing concern for both businesses and individuals in Britain. Warnings habitually arrive in the form of internet security pop-ups, yet it would be foolhardy to neglect the basics of offline safety.

Businesses may aspire to a paperless environment, but the majority of workplaces have to handle and appropriately dispense of confidential documents. For many organisations, computer printouts, photocopies and faxes will remain an integral part of the office environment. The most effective way of ensuring this sensitive information remains confidential is by investing in a company that can destroy it securely.

Thanks to the ubiquitous presence of computers and electronic files, organisations and individuals are not duty bound to hoard paper documents. Converting paper documents into electronic files by scanning and storing them on a portable disc or memory stick is painless. These discs and memory sticks can be encrypted with a password and stored in a safe place. Thus the concern naturally turns to how these raw documents can be dispensed of.

Opportunistic criminals can get their hands on documents by scouring through bins to repossess classified details. Depending on what information is found, one can be susceptible to the worrying issue of identity fraud. Criminals will then assume someone else’s identity to make falsified financial transactions. Nonetheless, mitigating this omnipresent threat could not be more straightforward.

Paper shredding is a relatively inexpensive way for businesses to erect a buffer against fraudulent crime. As the nomenclature indicates, this device will expertly shred documents into thin strips of paper. However, even though these devices are effective, there are ways and means for criminals to reconstruct documents that have gone through these devices.

Those yet to be persuaded of the merits of this machine may question the perceived laboriousness of destroying documents in this manner. Modern devices, however, are generally lightweight, effectual, simple to use and unobtrusive.

Accordingly, shredders are increasingly found in homes, local government offices, hospitals, banks and various commercial outlets. But with a range of shredders on the market, it is imperative that prospective consumers consider their own particular requirements.

For larger businesses, or those legally bound to destroy certain information totally securely, these shredders may not be sufficient. The most common examples of businesses failing to secure their own information include the leaking of pricing information, operating practices and contacts, future marketing campaigns, investment plans and so on. However, these tend to just be the stories that hit the headlines.